WARNING: If you have yet to watch Monday’s season finale of Gossip Girl, avert your eyes now. Everyone else, you may proceed….

Broken hearts, sex tapes and a whole lot of texting — it must be finale time on Gossip Girl. But while some relationships came to an end in Monday’s Season 5 capper, an old one started to rekindle when Blair finally admitted that her heart belongs to Chuck. So will the couple get their happy ending? Are things really over with Dan? And will Serena spiral? Executive producer Stephanie Savage weighs in on all of those questions and previews the upcoming sixth and final season.

THE FINAL GAME PLAN | “Getting ready for Season 6, everybody rewatched the pilot,” says Savage. “We talked about what our favorite episodes were, some of our favorite dynamics. … We’re leaving it all on the floor. We really want [the last episodes] to count and to be really special.” Priority No. 1: Focusing on the core characters. “The gang that you saw in that final act [of the Season 5 finale will be] the main players when we come back.” And yes, that includes Georgina, who Dan summoned to help him eviscerate the Upper East Side after getting dumped by Blair and used by Serena. So just how nasty will his quest get? “When you call in Georgina Sparks, you’re not looking to [play nice],” hints Savage.

BLAIR’S HEART | The former princess may have chosen the Dark Knight, but Chuck— tired of putting her first and losing everything — was having none of it. Still, Blair showed up at a Parisan casino where Chuck was gambling to earn back his fortune. “It was Blair coming to declare that she was in it to win it with Chuck and leaving that [relationship’s future] as the question of Season 6,” previews Savage. And for the Dair ‘shippers out there, we’re afraid we have bad news. “We crafted the last act of the episode to set us in a certain direction next year,” says Savage, all but confirming the death of Dair.

SERENA’S DOWNFALL | In a deliberate echo to the pilot, Serena took off on a train and retreated to her old, bad habits, using drugs and hooking up with strangers. “Feeling like she’s lost Blair, lost Dan, she’s all by herself again,” explains Savage. “It’s going to put her in a pretty precarious situation.” Meanwhile, that sex tape she made of herself and Dan may rear its ugly head again. “Well, if somebody had a sex tape on their cell phone, and they said they deleted it, but you never really saw that it was deleted…” the EP trails off. Yeah, we can do the math on that one.

NATE: YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME | Nate will “be tracking down” that mysterious hooded figure who may or may not be Gossip Girl. But unraveling the indenity of the infamous blogger “is something that has larger implications to the franchise beyond just our series,” explains the EP. “That reveal requires conversations at the highest level.” While Nate may have gotten a major clue in the war against Gossip Girl, he won’t be so lucky in the romance department next season. Ella Rae Peck, who plays Lola, is starring in NBC’s new drama seriesInfamous, so “it seems like she’s not going to be available to do the show next year.” Poor Nate, will he ever find lasting love? “That’s something that’s a big part of his series arc, and something that we’re going to be exploring next year.”

I think it’s really telling that the only way Chuck and Blair getting back together works is after: Blair and Serena’s friendship is destroyed, Blair and Dan’s friendship and romance is destroyed, Serena and Dan’s friendship is destroyed. Reset to season 1? OK, makes no sense, but good job writers – quality storytelling. The Chair fandom is mostly happy I see, but you haven’t really left anyone else anything to tune in for. Blair used to be my favorite, and now I can only see her as an abuse victim that can’t seem to break away. It’s deeply sad. Truly.

If you haven’t noticed Dair ruined Serena and Blair since Serena kept bringing it up. The Ban fanbase is truly delusional since Chuck and Blair were together and Serena and Blair were just fine in Season 3

Touchy. If you’re a Chair fan, shouldn’t you be happy? What’s it matter to you whether I think it’s pathetically written and nonsensical? And we are talking about Season 5 here, right? Based on the episode I just watched, all the things I said are true. Everyone else is destroyed, but Chuck and Blair are back together, so who cares, right? Yay! Let’s get them married already! Because that would be so epic! Totally contrived, but epic! :)

wow Dizzy, you must be kidding, right? It’s quite the oposite. They isolated Blair to make Dair happen. Blair before the last 3 episodes only had scenes with Dan and Dorota. And please, CB has nothing to do with SB fighting or DS fighting. LOL, I am pretty sure Chuck is gonna help SB next season

blair and serena’s friendship was ruined the day blair chose to stay with dan even thought knew about serena’s feelings for him…and the day blair and dan’s friendship was ruined was the day they dedcided they deluded themselves that they could have something beyond friendship!blair used to be my favorite too until season 4 but i saw a glimpse of my favorite character in the last 3 episodes of this season!

When is this bad boy crap going to stop?! Dan encouraged Blair to embrace her strengths. He even lead her back to Chuck when he thought she would be miserable with Louis, because he wanted her happy even if it ment she wouldn’t be with him. So why be with a man who makes you question your inner strength, constantly makes feel less than absolutely fabulous. I might have felt different if Chuck hadn’t rejected Blair after a 5 min conversation with Bart. And why Serena have to be so desperate and full of herself? She claims that Dan is as much to blame for the “romp” but she lied her ass off to get in his pants! And finally Lilli has lost her damn mind since her mother’s death. She’s being consumes by greed( does she need all the money?) and walking away from a man who loved her for her, not for her money, not to have a good looking society trophy wife. I have been a fan of this show because of the outstanding females who didn’t take crap but now all these strong women have fallen to the side. If their not chasing men who treat them bad then they’re falling into old habits because life didn’t go there way. As a female veteran of Iraq, I’m tired of these strong females being weakened by men who don’t deserve them. I don’t even think I will bother with next season.

Dan wrote Louis’s vows so they could be together forever. And Dan is a cheater now. I don’t want Blair with the cheater. He wasn’t the one who brought Blair back, Blair did and she wants Chuck. Not a twerp cheater

Get some new arguments, using resolved 3 years old story lines is not a good way to compel people to agree with you doesn’t matter if you keep repeating it over and over and over again… it doesn’t get any more convincing.

Agree. The writers clearly don’t like any of their characters. And Lily and Blair just look like huge morons for going back to the Basses. What kind of self-respecting woman makes those kind of choices? And what was the writers plan for the finale? Let’s have everyone make the worst possible mistakes they can, go back on everything we established this season, and basically juat destroy everything? Brilliant plan. I swear these writers are so stupid it’s not even funny. This whole finale was crap. Anyway you slice it, utter crap. These writers seriously need to be fired because they are terrible at their jobs. And it’s not even about ships. It was all complete garbage. I am so done with this show. They have disrespected me as a fan for the last time.

I have finally came to the realization and admitted that I fell out of love with this show after Season 3. Since then, it’s been completely down-hill. Nothing but crap, then crap, then more unrealistic crap piled on top. I kept watching, kept hoping, kept my fingers crossed that it would somehow turn itself around and become even HALF as amazing as it used to be. Yes sadly, even this long. Tonight’s finale confirmed it. At least with Serena snorting some drugs I got SOME recollections of what vintage GG was like. Everything else was poorly written, poorly developed, and overly-dramatic drivel.

So, I haven’t seen the last few episodes of Gossip Girl. I came to read the finale review to see if there is anything remotely interesting going on that can possibly make me want to watch this show. … and I guess not. Gossip Girl, you are officially cut.

Yes, Dair is over, yes!.
It was a bad episode to Serena, I hope next year can again be herself. And I hope that Blair and Serena may be friends again someday!. Dan is irrelevant but maybe this time he can do something interesting because he is Jenny 2 and he is showing what he really is. A long time ago that he stop being the nice guy (only with Blair, doesn’t count)., hopefully one day Dan admit what he did and pay for his mistakes,
The best: they finally raised the plot that I wanted: Chuck and Blair are going to start building their future, Blair has begun to fight for Chuck and for them. But it is logical that Chuck is upset and hurt and feel that he is nobody. It was a logical end of the season for them and wasn’t rushed!!. Until season six!

Well I would say it was nice ride GG but it wasn’t. It was filled with OCC character, plot devices and really the fashion on this show has seriously taken a down turn. So I hope whoever is still watching enjoys the horrible writing this show has to offer. Really that was bad and this is coming from a former Smallville, and OTH fan.

Even if you don’t like Dair as a romantic couple, you have to admit they were cute as friends at the very least. And Blair owed it to him to at least talk to him before she saw Chuck. The writers could have given Dair fans that.

I used to be a huge Chuck and Blair fan. They were the reason I watched the show. I’m not even a huge Dan and Blair fan, but I cannot be happy about Chuck and Blair getting back together. They are self-destructive. They bring out the worst in each other. Chuck almost hit Blair. That is NEVER ok, under no circumstances. You can try the whole “people change” claim, he can change. But in reality, this reformed Chuck would find someone new, and Blair should never look back. I don’t care if she’s with Dan, or Nate, or even Rufus. But this is ridiculous. I’m actually upset with the writing on this show, claiming that “true love” is enough to tolerate abuse. Unbelievable.

He never hit her. He never even attempted to hit her. Chuck would NEVER hurt Blair. And he apologized for smashing that window numerous times, and both have moved on from it. People do crazy stuff when they are drunk and depressed, but then again, you would know that if you went outside and lived a real life instead of looking up to trashy teen shows on CW for life lessons.

Yup. I personally thought Dan/Blair was a little mehhh, not that captivating. So honestly I was hoping Blair would choose herself and end up single. But the way they write Blair and Chuck’s relationship….honestly, it’s so irresponsible and offensive, I get a little sick thinking about it. At least I never have to watch this show again! I was really only watching for Chace Crawford but this finale was really the last straw, and I can say with certainty that I will never watch again. And I really won’t miss it!

you were only watching for Chace Crawford? now that’s a first… I mean the guy is gorgeous but they keep using him for absolutely nothing, the directions he must get when he comes on set are probably: stand there look pretty and try not to do anything relevant.

This would have been a lot more interesting if there was a zombie apocalypse… in fact every show would be better if zombies were involved, except for the walking dead, this one already has zombies being therefor instantly awesome.

I’m a fan of Chair and Dair but what was the point of Dair? why not just do a random guy if it was just always Chair? And I don’t understand why everyone blames ratings on Dair because IMO the problem is the show has always focused too much on Serena and also Blair and Chuck. This show had so much potential when it began but when you focus so much on one character or couple that will be its downfall and now look at it…

I have never been so annoyed and dissapointed in a TV episode before. I do like Chuck/Blair, but like honestly why are they together? Again?! It’s just seemed so forced and repetitive and makes Blair look pathetic and Chuck a complete douche. I really, really like Dan/Blair so this episode was all kinds of dissapointment for me. No actual break up? Like really?!

Serena is a complete and total mess…but not in the fun way for a viewer to watch…just in a completley annoying way! so frusterating!!
And Lily choosing Bart?!?!?!?!? STUPID. I can’t get over this whole episode. Not watching Season 6 that’s for sure.

AHAHAHAHAHAAHAAHHAHAH please.
Chuck cheated on Blair several times, hit her, sell her to an hotel, don’t even start.
This finale was awful, perfectly fitted for 15 years old frustrated girls who think that men like Chuck are the perfect love.
Wake up, if u would meet a man like this, you’ll suicide yourselves.

Chuck never cheated on Blair and he NEVER hit her. Get over it. Repeating it time and time over doesnt make it true. Name ONE 15 year old who thinks Chuck is the perfect man. Your comment is so creepy, seek therapy please.

I soooo just figured out the endgame of.GG…. Lol…. Chuck.and Blair end up together, married and hating every minute of it. And don’t get mad because I don’t dislike chuck and Blair together….. serena spends her life in and out of rehab until she o.d..’s leaving her whore mother to fend for herself with an abusive and controlling Bart Bass…. Nate realizes the upper east side is toxic and moves to California to become the head of a successful tabloid news.paper. Dan and Rufus move out of New York and away from the horrible Van Der Woodson girls and live somewhat.mundane but happy.lives escaping the.clutches of Jenny and the Manhattan elite….. Stick.a.fork in gg after tonights finale, it’s done

First time I saw GG in 2 years, it was well worth it but it’s been a waste of 2 years, I’m also glad that it’s ending next season, who knows who else they’ll ‘try Blair out with’ for a few episodes. We all knew she would end up with Chuck, it’s been the story of the show since the very beginning

It’s too bad the episode wasn’t even entertaining! I certainly am not looking to GG for life lessons, but watching a young woman constantly begging a man to take her back, a man who only seems to want her when she’s not available, just isn’t entertaining to me at all, and makes her look pathetic. And regardless of whether you’re a Chair fan or a Dair fan, this episode was just all kinds of crappy. Every main character ended up unlikable in the finale scenes, half the story felt left out of the episode altogether, everything was plot driven. What an absolute wreck. How do these writers have a job? This felt like it was haphazardly thrown together by a five year old

Good riddance gossip girl. Can’t wait to see your ratings tank even lower.

It gives me pleasure to know that many former viewers are choosing to steer clear of your endless cycle of emotional, verbal and physical abuse disguised as an “epic” love story (yes, looking at you Chair) the constant female debasement portrayed by Blair and Serena’s need and desire to be with a man (and lose their friendship in the meantime).

Here’s an interesting and unique idea: let Blair and Serena choose to be alone not because a guy doesn’t want to be with then, but because they themselves WANT to be alone. Remember when Blair wanted to be a strong, independent woman? What happened to her? She’s so tied to guys now that she’s completely lost her self.

You will still have viewers, most of which will be of the Chair variety (and don’t get me started on my disappointment in fans, especially females, so wrapped up in a “star crossed lover romance” they don’t recognize an entirely unhealthy relationship), but many many will leave you behind to wonder what you could have been…

Oh how I miss the days of Buffy and Veronica Mars…those were great shows all the way to the end.

I dont mind Blair picking Chuck because we all knew it was coming. But she couldnt even sit down and talk to Dan about it? I mean she just said to her mom Dan was her best friend and how comfortable she felt with him. After everything Dan did for her this season she really couldnt talk to him about choosing Chuck? She really says nothing to him at all? After everything they have been through that last season it was horrible move by the writers

Agreed. I thought it was horrible that Blair couldn’t even tell Dan face to face that she was still in love with Chuck. She didn’t even see him she just took off! After everything Dan has done for her, constantly being there for her through everything, she treated him so horribly. And then there was zero reaction to Dan having sex with Serena. No reaction from Blair, no Blair/Serena argument over it, it’s like half the story from this episode got editted out on the cutting room floor. WTF?

That finale just made me sad. It made absolutely no sense and this back and forth from Chuck and Blair is so played it’s unbelievable. So poorly written, I’ll be happy to see this show get a final wrap up and be done.

Finally something right!! We have Blair fighting for Chuck.. No matter how many guys come she always goes back to Chuck♥ Everything else was crazy or too rushed.. For Now CHEERS TO CHAIR. I wish dan and serena were back

I did not like the finale I feel like all the other past finales has had a spark an this one just didn’t like the only thing that made it good was to me ivy an the vengeful Dan an Georgina the whole chuck an Blair I love them but seriously everytime she wants him he doesn’t and vice versa like come on already then Serena GOIN back to her old ways I’m sick of it she has great connections who could do something with her life if she tried she gets no more sympathy from me on that part an the whole lily an Rufus honestly Im sick of lily I think Rufus should find someone who appreciates him more other than that the finale didn’t have that certain something like I though other than chivy vengeful Dan an who is gossip girl I kind of thought we would see a face of who is gossip girl then that would have made the finale tremendously better although I’m hoping it sets up good things for season 6 what I’m hoping to see is surprise appearance from Jenny aka Taylor momsen and Vanessa and Eric end the show strong end with everyone from the beginning even though Vanessa came later but still I’m looking forward to finally seeing who gossip girl is an the New Dan with Georgina which I think I will like that storyline very very much The New Dan seems very interesting.
Signin off: DeanC

What? Blair hasn’t been relevant since Constance. Even less than Serena. What happened to Yale and dreams? One minute she is on a stupid powerful woman kick, then she wants to be a magazine editor, then she wants to be a princess? And worse, chase after Brooklyn dick.

Chuck should see the warning signs and move on. Her personality is shot.

I hope the ending was the start of a Chuck and Blair reunion! I want them together for the final season not apart and then together for 20 seconds at the very end of the series finale. Us Chair fans deserve better!

As I said before I still believe the focus of Serena and Chair is what made this show go in the horrible direction its in and viewers to leave. As I love Chair but you don’t revolve a show around 1 couple or character when there are plenty of characters… Nate anyone? …lol

I wasn’t impressed at all with the finale. I’m glad Blair finally admitted her real feelings and that her relationship with Dan is over but I kind of wished that it had ended with her and her mom in the limo. Obviously Chuck and Blair are endgame but I kind of would have liked to have seen her be independent for awhile. I wasn’t that upset when Chuck didn’t immediately return her feelings. He basically said to her the same thing she told him about not just wanting their relationship to define her. I thought it brought it full circle. I have no doubt that they will end up together, which is definitely what I want, but I could have suffered a bit more as Blair found herself and grew up.

If some fansof a certain couples are bitter about this ending, I can totally understand. However, the thing is most of you don’t really get the story these writers have been telling all this year. If there is something consistent on Gossip Girl, it’s definitely Chuck and Blair relationship.

Moreover, I don’t think they’re much concerned with the ratings anymore since there’s only 11 episodes left to produce and broadcast. What’s done is done. I also highly doubt if it would tank like some people may think.

I can’t believe the way this show condones abusive relationships for young women. It’s so disheartening. Even more disheartening was how terribly written the finale was. I didn’t recognize any of the characters. It was like the writers decided to pretend the last season and a half never even happened. I am dumbfounded by how horrible it was. I can’t imagine watching 11 more episodes of this.

Everything about the final scenes was amazing. Everyone is exactly where they were when we started… And the show’s fanbase has been rallying for a “return to the S1 feel” for years. All the pilot parallels and plot threads are promising a final season that’s going back to the beginning and celebrating the show’s roots, which is what I always love to see in final seasons.

I thought this season was a mess, but all the final scenes were setting a stage for a story just like S1: Blair and Serena’s much-needed reconciliation requiring resolution, which puts them back at the heart and soul of the show where they’ve always belonged (and were sorely missing this year), Chuck and Blair continuing to circle each other, the NJBC once again being forced into a position where they must unite as a force against Georgina… (And S1 ended with a wedding, hmm.)

I legit don’t get how people are whining about not wanting to watch next season after seeing that final, because while this season was awful, I don’t know anyone who didn’t love S1. I haven’t been this excited for the show in a long time. I seriously hope the show is back in the fall, I don’t want to wait until spring for the final season!

Meghan you hit the nail on the head without knowing. The people happy with the finale are those who started watching from the 1st season, the loyal fans who have been put through hell and back, through terrible writing and ultimately Ban but still stayed faithful to the show. Really looking forward to 6th season paying homage to the GG we fell in love with.

I’ve watched since the very beginning and I thought that finale was terrible! Seriously, how can even the Chuck/Blair fans think that that was a well written episode? Every single character was trashed, and not a single one ended up likable in the end.

Well I guess majority of us agree the writing has been atrocious this season but at least the last 3 episodes have been better than the crap fest that has been season 5. With the damage Safran created, the finale was the best it could be with homage being paid to the pilot which has sort of laid the foundation for season 6 to be vintage GG “the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite”. I also disagree that every single character was thrashed. How? Serena went back to being the self destructive, lost, lonely horrible friend from season 1, Dan went back to being the judgmental outsider who stayed true to his cheating and vindictive ways, Nate…zzzzzz, Lily went back to being the cold wasp she was groomed to be while Chuck and Blair went back to what they do best, scheming to claim back an empire. Ohhh… I just got even more excited for season 6. That being said, maybe I didn’t express myself properly. What I meant to say was that the people happy with the finale started watching the show from the pilot episode aprx 5 years ago and not those that caught up online probably within the last 2 years.

One point of the finale hasn’t been mentioned yet in the comments (at least not directly): When Bart dressed down Chuck he revealed his world view about women and how they should influence a man’s life.

I’m curious as to how Lily would be remotely happy with such a man by her side.

I dont know how its gonna ever go back to Derena because Serena manipulated him pretty hard. Then again, it takes two to have sex. Its not like his penis slipped accidentally in her vagina. He’s as bad as she is. Then again, Dan has always been a cheater.

Thanks for letting me know that Dair is completely done, this way I have absolutely NO reason to tune in next season. Just wish I’d known 2 seasons ago so I wouldn’t have wasted my time! See ya later GG!

To be honest I’m not sure myself why DAIR even existed in a romantic sense this season. I am a CHAIR/DERENA shipper and as happy as I am with the finale – the DAIR scenario still should have not happened whatsoever. To be honest, I think it may have just been something Safran and perhaps a couple other writers wanted to do and when they saw the huge fallout it caused from all the fans they changed their direction with it. Either that or it was just a lot of filler to spread out the CHAIR angst throughout the season.

What I am VERY happy with is the way everything’s kind of reverted back to season 1. It really is extremely interesting to me to see all these characters having truly believed they grew and changed only to end up back where it all began. It also paves the way for very interesting storylines. Season 1 was by far the best and I sense they wanted to recreate that magic. While I hate to see Serena so broken, I really feel as though her storyline will be my most anticipated to see play out in the final season. We never really got to witness her during her really bad years, now we get to witness her struggle and how she digs herself out of it again. I also see a lot of potential in this being the way to reintroduce Derena, as Dan is truly who made her a better person when she came back. He was a key part of her redemption and I’ll always hold out for first love.

You can all relax. Since when is Gossip Girl about growing up and making the right choices? It’s a dramatic show purely to entertain us with it’s heightened sense of reality. If you want to watch something that you can actually learn from, then go watch Glee. Don’t sit here and complain as though you were expecting something else from a show that has emphasized how controversial and dramatic it is through all of it’s advertisement mechanisms since the pilot.

I’m not even up for an argument, because this garbage isn’t worth it. The writers are flat-out awful, and season 5 was an incomprehensible mess from start to finish. The only bright spot was Dair, but they weren’t even given a fair shot. The CW should just let GG die.

AMEN to this x1000000. this train wreck isn’t even worth the effort involved in arguments. the majority of this season has been terrible. i would not even mind CB getting back together if it was better written with better buildup, but what can we expect, really, from this show? I agree that Dair was the lone bright spot, but that has been shot to hell…everything else has turned so unintentionally hilarious, so i guess now the thing to do would be to take it as comedy? since i already watched every other episode, i guess i will marathon s6 at some point as well. will not waste time watching this crap live tho. just… TERRIBLE.

I’m glad the finale was as terrible as it was. Now I have absolutely no interest in wasting 11 weeks of my time warching next season. Sorry, Gossip Girl, but you can guarantee I will not be seeing you in the fall.

Well Chuck has verbally abused Blair, more times that I care to remember, he’s traded her for a hotel, more verbal abuse, and then we get an angry outburst and she is cut by a shard of glass as a result of his drunken temper. Ohhh what can the writers possibly do to get an OMG next season? I’ll take dibs on a broken collar bone after he shoves her into a wall. I mean you gotta give the fans what they want and who wouldn’t want an ‘epic’ love?